DIRECT TO FILM (DTF)
Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing is a modern digital garment decoration method where designs are printed directly onto a special translucent film, coated with a hot-melt adhesive powder, cured with heat, and then transferred onto apparel using a heat press. Unlike traditional methods that print directly onto the fabric, DTF uses this specialized PET film as a vehicle to transport the ink to the garment.
How the DTF Process Works
Printing the Design: A specialized inkjet printer prints the artwork onto a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film. It first lays down the full-color graphic using CMYK inks, and then immediately prints a solid layer of white ink directly over the top of the colors
Applying the Adhesive: While the white ink is still wet, a fine, heat-activated polyurethan-based adhesive powder is applied across the film. The powder sticks strictly to the wet ink, and any excess is shaken off.
Curing: The powder-coated film passes through a curing oven or under a no-contact heat press. This melts the powder into a tacky, dry, waxy gel layer that acts as the fabric glue. Once cured, these "DTF transfers" can either be pressed immediately or stored for future use
Heat Pressing: The cured film is placed face-down onto the fabric and clamped in a heat press (typically around 300°F for 15 to 30 seconds). The heat liquifies the adhesive gel, locking the ink permanently into the fabric fibers
Peeling: After pressing, the film is allowed to cool (cold peel) or peeled immediately (hot peel, depending on the film type used), leaving the vibrant graphic cleanly behind on the garment
Key Advantages of DTF
Extreme Fabric Versatility: Unlike sublimation (which requires light-colored polyester), DTF works beautifully on cotton, polyester, poly-blends, nylon, canvas, and even leather
.No Pre-treatment or Weeding: Unlike Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, fabrics require zero chemical pre-treatment. Unlike heat transfer vinyl (HTV), there is no tedious weeding or cutting required.
Vibrancy on Dark Garments: Because a dense white ink layer sits behind the CMYK colors, graphics remain incredibly vibrant and completely opaque even when pressed onto pitch-black fabrics.
Durability: High-quality DTF prints offer a soft, flexible stretch and have great wash fastness, often resisting cracking or fading for up to 50 to 75 washes
Production Efficiency: Decorators can take advantage of "gang sheets"—crowding dozens of different designs onto a single long roll or sheet of film to minimize material waste and drastically reduce costs.
Monday: By Appointment Only
Tuesday - Friday: 11:00-5:00
Contact for earlier or later times
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N58W39919 Industrial Road
Oconomowoc, WI
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(262) 490-3857​​​